The Smarter Customer

If you have decided to use a fitness facility when riding stationary bikes consider factors that can make that more enjoyable. And consider factors other than price if at all possible. Save money by not eating fast food as often and use the money saved to pay for a club that is better for your purposes or even to rent an apartment with a fitness center over one without. This helps you save money for that fitness center membership and cuts back on the bad foods you eat. Both of which are good for those intending to use stationary bikes

Remember if you join a fitness club that is across town you’ll spend valuable time and money just commuting. In the end you’ll also lose the stress busting effects of exercise when you’re caught in traffic on the way home. You may find that the light enters the room at a more appealing angle in the morning or that you can watch the stars in the evening. Maybe there are people you like to visit with at certain times of day or perhaps crowds to be avoided at other times. Whatever it is that makes you enjoy the very same stationary bike at different times is something that will keep you biking and that consistency will pay off handsomely.

Be sure to take snacks with you to the fitness center, spinning on stationary bikes can really get the appetite going and you’ll find it much easier to ignore the temptation of the smoothie bar or a fast food restaurant if you’ve brought something that is both healthier and tasty that you like. A good food item could be a pita stuffed with lettuce, and other veggies and a package of your favorite salad dressing to top it off. If you want to add a little protein take along some peanuts to eat with it. Don’t forget your water bottle.

To find a good facility with plenty of stationary bikes for its clients you can always check online for stationary bikes reviews to see what people are saying.

Read more stationary bikes articles and stationary bikes reviews news or visit our stationary bikes site.

I walked into the commercial gym yesterday after a long day of work excited to begin my workout. After warming up I proceeded to the squat rack to start my resistance training workout. I unfortunately ran into a bit of a roadblock. I was planning on starting with some Back Squats but there was a young man in the power rack performing barbell biceps curls with horrible form (a definite no-no!).

I decided to go to Plan B and rearrange my workout only to find that the flat benches were all occupied as well. This trend continued and everywhere I turned the equipment I desired was being used. I was happy that so many people were working out but at the same time I was frustrated that my well-laid plans were spoiled. I learned a long time ago that it is wise to have a back-up plan in place for situations like this so I decided to head home and revert to Plan C, which was my home workout routine.

I have found that having the option to workout at home is essential for people with busy schedules, for others who do not like going to crowded gyms, or for people who need a contingency plan for just-in-case situations (that’s me!). Another reason to have a home gym is that warmer weather has finally arrived and you may be less likely to go to your commercial gym.

I have helped people design expensive, well-equipped home gyms and I have helped others design very cost-effective, space-saving workouts areas. My personal home gym consists of a Stability Ball, 5lb to 95lb Dumbbells, some Kettlebells, an adjustable Weighted Vest, Adjustable DB Handles, Elastic Bands, 2kg to 10kg Medicine Balls, Ankle Weights, an AB Roller, a variety of Exercise Videos, and a minimal amount of space!

Anyone can have a Home Gym and there are many reasons to have one. The following list of questions should help you design a Home Gym that will suit your needs, your space, and your budget!

Questions To Ask When Building Your Home Gym:

The First Step: Ask Yourself Why?

Why do you want a home gym? What will it give you that you do not already have? What is your empowering vision of your ideal physique or athletic accomplishment? What are your short and long term goals? Always begin with a vision of the end results in mind, as this will guide you in your efforts. If you have not developed a vision of what you want to accomplish at this point, then that is the first thing you need to do. Develop a plan of attack for building your body and building your home gym.

Without a plan you might end up disappointed with the lack of results and frustrated that you bought the wrong equipment. Ask yourself what kind of results you expect your home gym to deliver? Is your home gym going to supplement your commercial gym membership (as a contingency plan)? Will you be doing your cardiovascular exercise outside or inside on a machine? Will you be doing stretching, strength training, or both? Is your home gym going to be the only place that you work out? Think about these things when designing your home gym.

I. How much are you willing to spend ($$$$$$$)?

How much do you want to spend, plain and simple? If you are just starting out with an exercise program, you might consider starting small with a simple, yet very effective, pair of Dumbbells. You can perform a full-body workout with a pair of dumbbells, some bodyweight exercises, and with a little knowledgeable of proper exercise technique. If you want to do it inexpensively, hire a knowledgeable fitness professional to design an individualized exercise program that you can do with a pair of Dumbbells in the comfort of your home. I have listed a variety of items that you might consider adding to your home gym.

Equipment Considerations:

A. Cardiovascular Machine

If you insist on performing your cardiovascular exercise routine at home be prepared to spend some money! Be aware, a gym quality treadmill, stationary bike, rowing ergometer, or elliptical trainer is going to cost you. You can buy used or refurbished gym quality equipment for a discounted price and if I wanted a cardio machine for my home this is probably the route that I would take. If you are thinking, “I’ll just save a few hundred dollars and buy an inexpensive treadmill at the mall,” make sure you do some research and ensure that you will buy something that is going to last and that will fit y our needs. I know many people who have purchased flimsy treadmills and regretted it soon thereafter. There are quality treadmills out there you just have to know where to look. I would recommend talking to my friend Bob McKinnon at McKinnon Technical Services (603-644-7539) who knows gym equipment like the back of his hand. He can point you in the right direction if you want to!

B. A Multi-Purpose Home Gym Machine

There are numerous multi-purpose gyms on the market and some are better than others. Chances are, if you turn on your television late at night and flip through the channels, you will be exposed to clever marketing using beautifully sculpted fitness models promising results in six weeks or less if you purchase their machine! Guess what. You can get results without a two thousand dollar machine that will most likely be collecting dust in a year anyway! Why not begin your quest for improved fitness with a modest investment in a pair of Dumbbells? Why not purchase a $20 book on how to get into shape? How about meeting with someone who specializes in coaching people through the process of positive physical change such as fitness professional or Registered Dietician? Infomercials are notorious for clever marketing and they can be very compelling. Avoid impulsive buying and do some research first before purchasing an expensive multi-gym. I recommend consulting a qualified fitness professional about the usefulness of such a machine, interviewing people who have that machine, and possibly even test-driving one before you make this decision. I have to mention that every Spring and Fall I see countless multi-gyms sitting out on someone’s lawn as part of the annual yard sale. I wonder why that is?

C. Barbells

If I had the room in my apartment, I would go out and buy a Barbell today! With a 45 lb. Olympic Barbell you can perform a wide variety of exercises in a variety of different ways. If you are an athlete, you have the space available, and you want to improve your sports performance, learning how to correctly perform the Olympic Weightlifting movements (Clean and Jerk, Snatch, and all the variations) can take your performance to the next level! To name a few, exercises such as Squats, Overhead Squats, Deadlifts, Bent over Rows, Bench Presses, Overhead Presses, and Upright Rows can be performed. I would recommend having an adjustable Power Rack and adjustable bench to augment the versatility of the barbell. Space and total cost are big factors when considering purchasing a barbell.

D. Dumbbells

If you want to save money and space, dumbbells are the way to go. You might consider two to three sets of dumbbells (they can be purchased at a sporting goods store for any where between $.35-$.75/pound (In Concord, NH, Check out Olympia Sports in the Mall, Sears, Target, Walmart, Northeast Fitness, or check out the newspapers for the least expensive way to go!). I prefer the metal dumbbells but there are also rubber coated and adjustable dumbbells available. “Power Blocks,” (perform a search on the internet to learn more about these) are adjustable dumbbells and are a great tool that take up a lot less space in your home gym, offers great versatility, and offers adjustable resistance to suit your needs. There are also other forms of adjustable dumbbells that consist of two handles, collars, and series of different size weight plates.

When selecting weights, it wise to start light and gradually purchase heavier dumbbells as you need them. I am able to perform wide variety of exercises with Dumbbells. If your goal is fat-loss, then a properly designed resistance training program that incorporates multi-joint Dumbbell exercises will help you achieve your goals more efficiently than many gym machines that “isolate” certain muscle groups. Remember, the more muscle groups that you incorporate, the more energy your body burns, and the better your results will be! Exercise technique is a factor but I’ll happily let you know that I have taught 90-year-old women and 11-year-old boys how to perform the most “difficult” Dumbbell exercises with pristine form.

E. Medicine Balls

Medicine Balls are a great tool depending upon your fitness goals and your current training level. For an athlete in search of sports performance enhancement, Medicine Balls are a great tool because they can be accelerated in a rapid fashion through many planes of motion. If general fitness is your goal, you can perform many traditional gym exercises with a Medicine Ball as well. Medicine balls come in all shapes, sizes, weights, and colors. Be sure that the ball you pick suits your needs. By the way, these are also great for outdoor workouts on a sunny day!

F. Benches and Stability Balls:

A bench can be a great tool that will allow you to perform more exercises during your home workout sessions. Some benches are adjustable and offer great versatility while others are just fixed benches. Space is a concern for many people and that makes the Stability Ball (a.k.a. Swiss Ball) a great alternative to a bench. With a Stability Ball you can perform inclined, seated, prone, supine, floor, and a number of lower body exercises. A knowledgeable fitness professional could teach you how to perform a full-body workout with a Stability Ball and a pair of dumbbells. There are a number of different ways to use it in order to maximize your home workout routines. Not only can it replace a more expensive exercise machine or bench, but it can also double as a chair, take up less space, and challenge your body’s balance in ways that a stable bench/machine cannot.

G. Resistance Bands/Tubes:

The cable pulley system at your local gym offers a number of exercises that can increase the variety of your workouts tremendously. An alternative to the cable pulley system for your home gym could be resistance bands or tubing that you can tie to a pillar in the basement of fix in a closed door. You can buy tubing that comes with handles already attached in some fitness catalogs or you could just tie a loop in one end to make your own makeshift handle. It is important to mention that elastic resistance training has many benefits and many inherent flaws. If you understand how to properly combine elastic resistance training with inertial (free weight training) you can maximize your results! A knowledgeable exercise professional can help you design your home gym to take advantage of these tools.

H. Exercise Videos:

There are many great exercise videos out there (and a lot more bad ones!). There are videos for Yoga, Step Aerobics, Tae-Bo, Pilates, Strength Training, Stability Ball Training, and every other imaginable fitness topic out there. Check out your local sporting goods store or Borders for a selection of exercise videos. The key is to find a couple videos that you enjoy and that give you the workout that you are looking for.

I. Other Fun Tools:

If you walk into a sporting goods store or open a fitness equipment catalog you will see a variety of toys that can supposedly enhance your workouts and deliver unbelievable results. Buyer beware! No one piece of equipment can solve all of your home gym needs and you must consider how this piece of equipment will fit into your complete program. Watch out for gimmicks and miracle exercise machines. Ask a fitness professional their opinion before you buy and you may save yourself some money! Do a little research before purchasing equipment for your home or you may run the risk of buying an expensive coat rack!

II. How much square footage do you have?

Simply put, how much space do you have available? Do you have enough room for an adjustable bench or a mutli-purpose exercise machine? Is the area well ventilated? How much ceiling height do you have? Are your floors solid? Do you have neighbors that might not appreciate you jumping up and down? Will you have room for all of the equipment you want to get? Thinking about these issues in advance will save you a lot of hassle in the long run. Finally, determine what else your home gym is used for? Will your home gym also be used for family gatherings, a playroom for the kids, an office, a gathering area to watch the Final Four, or strictly as a home gym? These are some other aspects to consider when designing your home gym.

III. Do you know your way around the gym?

Are you a beginner, an intermediate, an expert, or an advanced exerciser? A beginner might start out with an exercise tape, a Stability ball, and a couple of 5 pound dumbbells where as a more advanced exerciser might have a Barbell, Olympic Bench, a Stability Ball, an Adjustable Step, a Selectorized Weight Machine, a Power Rack, and a variety of Dumbbells. Have you been properly trained in the use of Free Weights or do you feel more comfortable using a machine? What kind of equipment does your plan of attack call for? The answers to these questions will help you better choose a home gym that works for you.

In closing, be sure to spend considerable time looking into the process of designing and constructing your home gym as it can be a very important addition to your life and to your home. Consider consulting an exercise professional to make sure that your gym will suit your individual needs, your budget, and your home. There are many reasons to have a home gym and it can be designed to help you achieve the results that you are looking for!

On-Line Sources for Home Gym Equipment:

-Exertools: http://www.exertools.com

-Perform Better: http://www.performbetter.com

-Power Systems: http://www.power-systems.com

-Body Trends: http://www.bodytrends.com

-Clubbells: http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=186111

-Kettlebells: http://www.dragondoor.com/index.html?kbid=2094

-Multi-Gyms: www.megaftiness.com

Stay fit,

Kyle Battis CSCS, L/ATC, NSCA-CPT

ATTENTION: “To build a home gym that really delivers results or to learn how to crank up progress from your current home gym go to www.HomeGymSecrets.com and you’ll receive a FREE special report valued at $15 just for stopping by!

Kyle is a fitness professional that has been in the trenches teaching his clients how to get amazing results from their home gyms for the past 6 years. Kyle started http://www.HomeGymSecrets.com to help people really understand what it takes to build a great body by using their home gyms. No matter what kind of equipment you have you can achieve great results if you know these secrets. Kyle may be contacted through e-mail kyle@homegymsecrets.com.

“What was significant about the laughter . . . was not just the fact that it provides internal exercise for a person . . .a form of jogging for the innards, but that it creates a mood in which the other positive emotions can be put to work, too.” - Norman Cousins

A good laugh is a very effective treatment for depression which can ease up your facial muscles, reduces stress hormone, lowers blood pressure, increases muscle flexion, by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins which produce disease-destroying antibodies, also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.
Humour and laughter has beneficial effects on body, mind and spirit giving an overall sense of well being. When someone is depressed, humour and laughter boosts up a positive and hopeful attitude. When we can laugh at any problem, we feel the power and superiority to get the control over the situation. Laughter releases those uncomfortable emotions, that are bottled up in our mind and creates biochemical changes that causes damage to our soul as well as body.

People with good sense of humour fall sick less often due to the fact, laughter is an internal jogging for a man. There is a very important relationship within body and mind; emotions are registered in the body in the form of chemical messages, a complex molecule called neuropeptides, which are found throughout the body and brain, work as a means of communication. Incorporating more laughter and humour in life ensures that these molecules carrying chemical messages work positively in the body.

How to start laughing when you know you are depressed?

We have plenty of opportunities in a day when we can laugh aloud, giggle or at least smirk. Beaming all day will never cause you any harm rather uplift your spirit and you will be more welcomed by people who are around you. So notice the small incidents around you that can give you a laugh, grab those opportunities, they are too precious to let go. Every one of us has a friend or a family member who are known for their sense of humour, spend some time with him. There are email newsletters providing “A Joke a Day”, subscribe to them, watch comedy TV shows, read comics and joke books. If you have kids at home, get into tickling match with them, or you can do it with your spouse, and let them get you back with some tickle. There are thousands websites available on the internet providing you jokes for pure and loud laughs, read those jokes, share them with friends. There are funny talk shows running on T.V. and radio which can leave you rolling over your belly. Laughter is really contagious which will give you uproar to fill your soul with influx of joy. If there is something that you may not laugh at accompanied by others, like foreign language songs, public embarrassment of politicians, your obese boss trying to be smart, or a dumb colleague doing all stupid things, laugh whenever you are alone in your cabin or in the loo. This way you will not be offending anyone but do a lot of healthy exercise for your mind.

Life has different dimensions offering you spectrum of emotions , try to look at the things from different perspectives, you will see there are thousand instances of irony around you, look for events of irony in your memory warehouse, you will find plenty of them. Life is a fountainhead of fun, and depression is not enough to close that gush of joy to your life. You need to be connected to those mirthful rivers and let them flow within you.

The author, Monalisa Hyden, addresses psychological issues. If you wish to help yourself and your loved ones to fight depression, you can log on to http://www.buy-xanax-online-now.com for more information and advice.

If you are looking for a car rental in Ireland, there are a number of options available to you with regard to pick-up locations and type of vehicles. In general car rentals in Ireland is a competitive market and you would be best to look around all the main companies, and even the smaller ones that are specific to Ireland as it is not uncommon for them to be offering the best value.

In terms of locations of your car rental in Ireland, the two main cities, Cork and Dublin, are covered by all the car rental companies, and in general Dublin Airport, Cork Airport and Shannon Airport are also covered by all companies. If you are picking a car rental up at one of the major airports you may fill in much of the paper work in the airport itself before getting a bus to the car park which in most cases is located just outside of the airport grounds.

When it comes to renting a car in Galway, Sligo, Tralee and Rosslare you options are going to be greatly reduced with Hertz and Budget being the only operators.

In general the vehicles are top notch, and cars are generally well less than a year old. The range offered starts at Group A with a Toyota Yaris up to a Lexus IS200 or Mercedes E200. Most people travelling from America are used to air conditioning, but in Ireland it is not necessary and most vehicles do not have advanced climate control.

As regards driving in Ireland, the main roads are good but not up to continental standards and while motor ways are becoming more and more common, Ireland still lags behind in this department. Crucially cars drive on the left of the road in Ireland and for those who are used to driving on the other side, it takes some time to get used to. One tip that works quiet well is to always make sure to keep your right hand to the centre of the road. The only time this is ever an issue is at cross roads. The other thing that our foreign visitors should bear in mind is that roundabouts are used extensively and in many cases with traffic lights.

Speed limits in Ireland are in kilometres per hour and are strictly enforced even if the Police coverage on the roads is not as much as perhaps in other countries. In built up areas the speed limit is 50km while on motorways the speed limit is 120km. Speed signs are along every road so there should be no concerns about not knowing what speed limit the road you are travelling on is.

Ronan Menton is the webmaster for a number of travel related websites and has been for some time in Ireland, associated with search engine optimisation in the Irish travel industry. He spends two months a year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and now sees it as his second home. Among the many sites he is currently working on are the following: Celtic Car Rental and e Car Rental Ireland.

A joint venture is when two or more businesses join together
to work on a project for a set period of time. Doing online
joint ventures can increase your chances of beating your
competition, increasing your sales and profits, saving time
and money, getting valuable referrals, and increasing your
market share. The following are ten online joint venture ideas:

1. A simple joint venture would be exchanging text links or
banners with other related web sites.

2. Share a web site with another business with the same target
market. You both will be marketing and advertising the same
web site which means double the traffic.

3. Exchange testimonials or endorsements for each others
products or services.

4. Combine your products or services together with another
businesses into one big package. You could split the profits.

5. Do you have and product or service that doesn’t sell good?
Offer it as a free bonus for another businesses product or
service. In exchange ask for a small portion of the profits.

6. Offer to insert a promotional ad for another business into
your product package. Just ask them in return to do the
same for your business.

7. Trade e-zine or auto-responder ads with similar businesses.

8. Team up with related businesses to create an promotional
e-book to give away. Publish your web site ads in the e-book
then just give it away for free.

9. Host a virtual trade show or seminar with another business.
Include each other’s promotional material on the web site.

10. Create a freeware program with another business. Include a
promotional ad for each of your businesses in the program. Submit
it to freeware and freebie sites.

Quote of the Day:

“It doesn’t take a lot to make me happy. I like to work
out. I like to play ball. I like to spend time with my
friends. I like to make myself better every day. I like to
try to learn. It doesn’t take money to do that.” — Steve
Nash, Pro basketball player

About The Author:

Daniel Cassidy owns a Work At Home Directory where you can find all the resources
you’ll ever need to start up, operate and profit from a
home based business at:
http://www.MoneyFlowForLife.com

The concept of “right brain left brain” refers to the two hemispheres of your brain. Some amazing experiments involving people who’ve had the corpus callosum cut taught us most of what we know about the differences between the two sides. The surgery is performed on epileptics to reduce the incidence of seizures, and it isolates most of the right hemisphere from the left hemisphere.

For a typical experiment, a divider allows a participant to see two objects - say, a cup with the right eye and a lemon with the left. When asked what they see, they’ll say they see a cup, and nothing more, because most people process both language and information from the right eye with their left brain (left hemisphere). However, when they write down what they see, using their left hand, they’ll write “a lemon,” because both the left hand and eye are controlled by the right side of the brain.

Of course, you have only one brain, and the two hemispheres work together normally. These split-brain experiments show how distinct the two sides really are, though. When the corpus callosum is cut it’s as if there really are two brains. What have we learned from these experiments then?

Left Brain

For more than 90% of right-handed people and 70% of left-handed people, the left hemisphere:

- Processes things more sequentially.

- It is more rational, logical, analytical, and objective.

- It looks at the parts.

- It handles normal speech.

If you want to stimulate and strengthen the thinking processes of your “left brain,” talk about things as logically as you can. Also, picking apart an argument or something you read can exercise this part of the brain too. While there is little hard evidence as to the effects of specific exercises, talking or working on your analytical skills are safe things to do, so experiment freely.

Right Brain

Again, the following is true for most people. The right hemisphere:

- Handles thing in more random and subjective manor.

- Is responsible for “hunches” and other intuitive processes.

- Looks more at wholes, and is best at pattern-recognition.

If you want to exercise your “right brain,” sing. Stutterers find that they don’t stutter when they sing, because it is handled differently than regular speech. writing or reciting free-form poetry and studying maps may help as well. Again, these are not proven by scientific studies yet, but there is no danger in experimenting in these areas.

Right Brain Left Brain Dominance

Most of us seem to favor one style or another of thinking, and this may be an indication of the dominance of one or the other hemisphere. For exmple, it seems likely that the choice between joining the debating team or the art class in school has something to do with which side is dominant. You have probably noticed that left-handed people, who presumably have a more developed right hemisphere, are more often artists.

If you want to be more “whole brained” in your approach to things, you can start by working on your weakest areas, using some of the tips above. Also, you can bring both sides into whatever you do. For example, metaphors, a right-hemisphere process, can be used in logical (left hemisphere) debate. Artistic work can include more analysis. Can this really help balance your thinking? Probably. Time and more research will tell. In the meantime, it can’t hurt to more fully use your right brain and left brain.

Steve Gillman has been studying brainpower and related topics for years. For more on How To Increase Brain Power, and to get the Brain Power Newsletter and other free gifts, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com

Some believe that online article writing and syndication is a fad and it is all about hype. Indeed there are some valid points to both sides of such debate. Well folks, I have always been a skeptic by nature and you can ask anyone I know from the time I had only 500 articles until now with 4599.

After writing articles online for one year and averaging some 12.6 articles each and every day for a year, I have noticed some hype out there in the industry. During this last year I have had at least 4-5 new article websites ask me to place articles on their websites every week. In the last year I have seen the bulk of these article websites out there disappear.

And as a skeptic and highly critical of all writers previously calling them alcoholics, on prozac and failures in life over all; then eventually becoming one myself without any of those attributes. Meaning not all article websites and not all authors are hype or riding a fad. In fact I can say that the hype I hade originally witnessed is over and we have a set of winners here and the emergence of the category killer EzineArticles.com with 165,000 articles [4500 are mine] and 21,101 authors me being the last one in that big number and a group of authors, which are crme of the crop.

I can tell you that I agree with what Hans Bool of Spain who talks about the hype curve of industries, as I study industries from RFID tags, BioTech and even the industries I have directly participated in. The Hype Cycle is a silly name for it, but it does exist and Hans is right. The article marketing and content providing hype cycle is nearly over and the real content providers and article providers are still going strong.

Does quality suffer in industries full of hype? Sure it did for a while but many of those sites are gone, along with the get rich quick writers and actually my own articles are getting better as I learn thru trial and error to write better. It seemed for a while everyone was jumping on the article writing bandwagon and to kind of reminded me of starting a marathon with the huge crowd rushing forward bumping elbows.

But as I look back now, I just do not see that anymore, as the true blue well-intentioned content providers press on. We are past the hype curve but there are a couple of hypers still trying to hang on to the pace. But this is a long-term race and the hypers have nearly weeded themselves out. Those are my thoughts on this issue, consider this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Marketing a business can be fun, exciting and creative. It can also be very frustrating and expensive if one doesn’t know what outcome they are looking for or how to evaluate cost effective methods of marketing.

Over the years people have come to know me for my unique ability to develop low cost and no cost strategies to market and promote a business, product or service. Strategies that have realized incredible returns.

Some of my successes have included:

- Before my last book was published I pre-sold over $8,000 in books
- Over 250 people registered for a recent seminar in less than 2 weeks and the cost to promote was under $25
- One company used my strategies for a career expo and made over $180,000 in consulting fees
- One speaker sold over $23,000 in product sales back of the room at a two hour seminar with strategies outlined in my program

I don’t share this to impress anyone, rather to impress upon you when using the right strategies for your market, you can realize some incredible results.

People have also come to know me as someone who is a stickler when it comes to putting systems in place. My marketing successes are a direct result of the systems I have implemented.

With a bit of forethought, planning and desire, you can successfully market your business in a very effective manner. Below are seven proven strategies sure to increase visibility, leads and sales.

1. Business Cards
Business cards are often one of the most underutilized tools in one’s marketing.
Use the front and back of your business card to gain full benefit. Depending on your market you can put some very valuable information on the back such as a sports schedule, emergency numbers, or special dates people want to remember.

Keep some in your wallet, your automobile, on your desk, and some at home. Be sure to carry them with you wherever you go and be willing to hand them out as opportunity presents itself.

Creatively distribute your card. When you eat out you can leave one with the tip.
If you borrow a library book, use one as a book mark. Hand them to clerks in stores who may know other people who could use your product or service.

When someone gives you their business card be sure to enter their information in your database. Send them a short note or email within 48 hours of meeting them to keep your name fresh in their mind.

2. Send a picture
A great way to keep your name fresh in a customer’s mind is to send them a picture of when they purchased a product or service from you.

Put a picture of a buyer’s auto purchase in a beautiful calendar. Likely, the proud owner of the vehicle will display the calendar for the next 365 days.

For specialty gift shops, when a customer makes a substantial purchase, have a picture taken with the shop owner. Frame the picture and send it to the customer.
Chances are very good the picture will be displayed proudly for friends and family to see.

A dentist who specializes in smile makeovers can easily arrange to have a professional makeup artist and photographer capture the patient’s beautiful new smile. No doubt the patient will be more than happy to show others their new look.

3. Associations
Associations particular to your market are a great resource for marketing. There are associations specific to virtually any industry, job type or business. A quick web search will likely show you how much is available.

A major opportunity within many organizations is the chance to network. Additionally, to make presentations. Along with presentations come publications.
Often, when you do a presentation, you will get a mention in the association newsletter, their Ezine and/or on their website.

In many cases, when an organization has a newsletter or Ezine, they welcome the presenter writing a press announcement for them. It saves them time and often assures you have a better chance of the information making it into the publication.

They may also welcome you writing an article for their publication or website.
This lends itself to pre-presentation visibility. Additionally, you will position yourself as an expert and increase credibility.

Most organizations have the following opportunities that can help you to gain visibility and do some very effective marketing:

-Newsletters
-Internet listings
-Links to you website
-Discounted advertising rates
-Networking opportunities
-Business referral services
-Special recognition events
-Education seminars
-Business and membership directories

In many cases you will need to be a member of the association to take advantage of the multiple marketing opportunities. In other cases membership is not necessary.

4. Committee Involvement
Committee involvement is a great way to give back to the association or community while building visibility for you and your business. In some cases, you may even want to get involved in a committee where you have little experience or knowledge. This will give you an opportunity to stretch yourself and meet and network with individuals you may not have otherwise had the chance to meet.

5. Contests and drawings
Contests are a favorite for many businesses such as restaurants or those that have high foot traffic. Contests are a great way to build your database quickly.
You are generating very hot leads when you have a contest with people who have already frequented your place of business. The key though is to do back -end marketing. Far too many businesses hold contests, get lots of names and do nothing with them. In this case, it is a complete waste of time to hold a contest.
You can advertise a contest to gain new foot traffic in your place of business.
Trade show booths are a great place to hold a contest. Pre-show marketing helps to generate traffic at your booth. Invite people to stop by booth # _____ (whatever your booth is) to enter to win. Creative contests can also generate free publicity.

6. Cross-promoting
Join with other companies who have products or services that compliment yours and promote each other. Let’s say you have a massage business. You could partner with a candle company to sell their candles to your massage clients. They can give out coupons for your massage business. Or the candle company can partner with a gift basket company. Cross-promoting is only limited by your imagination.

This can considerably cut down the cost of business promotion and allow each business to use promotion techniques that might be too expensive to implement alone.

7. Bonuses
Secure special offers from various businesses who want to share a similar market as you. When a customer buys a minimum amount they receive a bonus packet with the various offers from the other vendors. This is a win/win all the way around. The other vendors gain visibility, you have something extra to offer you customers and the customers get incredible value for their purchase.

Be aware of who you cross-promote and joint venture with. You want someone who will be equally committed to a campaign.

About the author
Kathleen Gage is a business advisor specializing in marketing and promotions for small and home based businesses. She is a keynote speaker and the author of -101 Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door - and - 101 No Cost and Low Cost Tips to Market and Promote a Product, Service or Business. To access her FREE report, Learn How One Salt Lake City Consultant made Over $100,000 from One Idea, visit www.streetsmartsmarketing.com

Milan is the second largest city in Italy and the most flourishing one. It’s a capital of Italian business, finance, fashion and mass media. Milan is the main road junction in Italy, its airport is the biggest airport in Italy and the subway is considered to be the best.

It’s the city full of the ancient art masterpieces. Moreover, Milan is one of leaders in the area the Italians are crazy for - football. The local football club is always among the best in Serie A championship.
Despite all its advantages, Milan isn’t the most popular travel destination in Italy. The most of the tourists prefer to see the hills of Toscana and the canals of Venice. Milan is considered to be the industrial city with the very fast rhythm of life. Many find that Milan looks more like European than Italian city. The citizens of Milan gained the reputation of the reserved and cold-blooded people.

Milan long history is full of foreign invaders - Goths in 539, Romans in 1157 and the list of the French, Spanish and Austrian rulers.
The most popular Milan entertainment, attracting the significant part of tourist is shopping. From 1277 to 1500 Visconti and Sforza families ruled the city. The biggest part of the Gothic and Renaissance masterpieces were created during their rule, although both dynasties were known for their cruelty besides their love for art.

The center of the city is relatively small and very comfortable for walks, but it’s better not to use car - the traffic jams are common in Milan.
The heart of the city is Piazza Duomo with the several interesting sights around it. Duomo Cathedral on the main cultural attraction in Milan. It’s opened from 9.00 till 12.00 and from 14.30 till 18.00. The construction of the cathedral was begun in 1386 and was fully completed only in 1813. Duomo is one the biggest Gothic cathedrals in the world. Its magnificent beauty charms and the interior strikes with its greatness.
The monument to Vittorio Emmanuel is the centre of the square and it’s the very popular meeting place among tourists.

Vittorio Emmanuel gallery begins with the Triumph Arc on the square and transforms into the glass street. Nowadays it’s the centre of the cultural life of Milan - there are the famous bookstores, cafes and restaurants.
To the right of the cathedral you can see the yellow building of the Royal Palace, which once has been the Duke’s Visconti palace. In 1943 it was hardly damaged but later restored. Now it houses the museum of the modern art and the Duomo museum.

The most exciting Milan entertainment, attracting the crowds of tourists, is shopping. Milan is full of the fashion boutiques mostly on Via Montenapolone. Milan is considered to be one of world’s fashion capitals along with Paris, New York, Rome and London. Shopping is almost a religion here and in the season of discounts the whole city seems to go mad.

If you like to book hotel, please visit Milan hotels page

One night, in neighborhoods across America, you will find monsters, ghosts, witches and other characters haunting houses up and down the street. October 31, Halloween, is one of the more popular holidays for children. What child wouldn’t want to dress up as a monster or fairy and score a bag of candy in the process?

The origins of Halloween are ancient. 2,000 years ago in the part of the United Kingdom which is now Ireland, the Celts celebrated the beginning of their new year on November 1. As a result, October 31, or Samhain as the Celts called it, was a night to celebrate. The Celts believed that on that one night each year, the wall between the worlds of the living and the dead were easier to cross over and the barrier was thinner. Because of this, they believed that the spirits of the dead returned to the world of the living and caused all sorts of trouble and damage. Since the spirits were present on earth, the Celts believed that their priests, the Druids, were able to make predictions about the future more easily.

Since this celebration was an end to the summer and a beginning to the long, dark, cold, winter the people were hopeful if the Druids were able to make positive predictions for the hard time ahead. After the Romans conquered the British Isles, the Celtic celebration of Samhain was combined with a couple of Roman holidays. Feralia was a day that the Romans honored their dead in late October. The other holiday was in honor of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. Pomona was associated especially with the apple and because of this, the tradition of bobbing for apples may be associated with Pomona after her holiday was lumped in with Samhain and Feralia.

With the spread of Christianity, Halloween was incorporated into a new holiday, All Saints’ Day, which was a day to honor saints and martyrs on November 1. This holiday was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (which is derived from the Middle English word Alholowmesse, another way to say All Saints’ Day). The night before this holiday, October 31, began to be known as All-Hallows Eve and soon, just Halloween. Some time later, the church decreed that November 2 would be known as All Souls Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated much like Samhain, with bonfires, dancing, parades and dressing up in costumes. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints’, All Saints’ and All Souls’, were collectively called Hallowmas.

The way we celebrate Halloween in America, trick-or-treating, is probably related to the All Souls’ Day parades in early England. At this time, the poor would beg for food. They would be given “soul cakes” in return for praying for the family’s dead relatives. Eventually, this turned into children visiting neighborhood houses and being given treats such as beer, food and money.

With the new flood of immigrants in the late 1800s, the millions of Irish entering the US helped shape the celebration of Halloween. From Irish and English traditions, Americans began dressing up in costumes and going house to house asking for food or money. By the end of the 19th century, many people began to try to mold Halloween into a holiday that was more about the community and community celebrations than about spirits, pranks or witchcraft. Parents were encouraged to make the parties for their children and families less frightening and attempt to take out the fearful aspects of Halloween.

Today Halloween is the second biggest commercial holiday in America. Americans spend billions of dollars on candy, costumes and parties. Children look forward to Halloween every year, partly because they are able to dress up and be a different person or being for a night, but mostly because of the loot they receive from going door to door in their neighborhood.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Halloween